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Felony: Helltown Hotel
Felony: Helltown Hotel
Melodic Hard Rock
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Eonian Records
www.myspace.com/helltownhotel
Review: Craig Hartranft, 11.30.2009
Somewhere between late 1980's LA glam and New York grit lies Indianapolis' Felony, a once promising example of rowdy midwest rock and roll. Helltown Hotel is Eonian Records archival compilation of Felony's best before suffering the consequences of band implosion and the grunge wave. First impressions being what they are, Felony may be the closest thing to a cornbelt Motley Crue with a touch of Ratt. With this said, however, there's a real melodic powerhouse presence and a display of sound musicianship that rushes through most of this disc. Mostly this album moves along with a near mesmerizing development that hypnotizes the listener into toe-tapping complacency. If there was such a thing as 80's easy listening melodic hard/glam rock, then Felony's Helltown Hotel may fit the bill. Still Felony knows how to rev things up as Cat Daddy, Street Fight, and Another Hero (almost melodic metal) prove. The most surprising music might be the two demo tracks Mississippi Rollin' and Shattered Innocence which show, particularly the former, Felony escaping from the morass of their mainstream peers. Overall, Helltown Hotel is solid stuff.
In Short
First impressions being what they are, Felony may be the closest thing to a cornbelt Motley Crue with a touch of Ratt. With this said, however, there's a real melodic powerhouse presence and a display of sound musicianship that rushes through most of this disc.
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